Switch mechanism



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR- 'ATTORNEY A. J. HALL ET AL SWITCH MECHANISN Filed Jan. 31, 1921 June 30, 1925.

June 30, 1925.

A. J. HALL ET AL SWITCH MECHANI SM Filed Jan. 31, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNES ES:

AT'TORNEY Patented June 30, 1925.

UNITED STATT-:s

y 1,543,709 PATENT orner..

ARTHUR JOHN HALL, OF -WINCHCOMBE, ENGLAND, ANDPAUL L. MARDIS, OF'SWISS- VALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH 'MECHANISM i Application ined January s1, 1921. serial No. 441,412.

To all whoml it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR J. HALL, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Winchcombe, England, and PAUL L. AIARms, a citizen of the vUnited States, and a resident of Swissvale, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Switch Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

Uur invention relates to switch mechanism and particularl to switch mechanism for controlling agpiiirality of motor circuits.

One object of our invention is tok provide a switch for use in controlling motor circuits, wherein a control switch for an electrically operated switch is so interlocked with a disconnectin switch that the lat/ter cannot be opened w ile the former isin closed position.

Another object of our invention is to provide a switch mechanism having the above characteristics, wherein the control switch Yis carried by a protecting cover that serves to protect ,the disconnectin switch when the control switch is in close position.

A further object of our invention is to provide a kswitch mechanism having the above characteristics, wherein a main line switch is so yinterlocked with the controly switches that. the latter cannot be opened so long as the main switch is in closed position.

These and other objects that will be made apparent throughout the further description of the invention are attained by ,means of the apparatus hereinafter described and illustrated 'in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front plan view, showing a portion of one of the switch protecting covers broken away;

Fig. 2 is a sectionaliview of the switch mechanism taken on the line II--II of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the switch mechanism in side elevation; and e Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the switch mechanism, aV portion'of one of the protecting covers being broken away. f

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus includes an insulating base member 4 upon which are mounted four disconnecting or auxiliary switches, each of which includes a pivot jaw member 5, a switch blade inember that is pivoted to the pivot jaw member by means of a bolt 7, and a contact jaw member 8 that is adapted to vreceive the :treev end ot' the switch blade member. The free end of the blade member is provided with an opening 9 forthe purpose of receiving the hook ot' an operating tool commonly known as a hook stick. f y

The jaw members 5 and 8 are provided i The'mechanism is therefore provided with a separate controlling switch for controlling the operation of each unit switch. Each controlling switch comprises a pair of contact jaw members 11 that are mounted upon the base 4 on opposite sides of thedisconnecting switch blades 6.

An insulating cover 12 having sufficient length and width to substantially cover the disconnecting switch members is provided for each disconnecting switch and is pivoted by means of a hinge 13 that is mounted upon an insulating block 14 which is secured to the panel 4. A bridging switch blade member of U-shape having two switch blade members 15 is secured to the inner'side of the cover 12 and engages the contact jaw members 11 'when the cover is in operative protecing position, indicated in the drawings.

The contact members 11 and the switch blade members 15, when in operative relation, establish a circuit through the unit switch actuating mechanism. It will be ap parent, therefore, that when the cover is pulled awayk from the blade member 6 to permit opening movement thereofJ/that the circuit through the unit switch mechanism is first interrupted, thus'interrnpting the circuit through the disconnecting switch. The disconnecting switch may then be operated without danger of injury to the operator.

yThe inner side of each cover 1:2r is provided with an insulating block 16 that engages the free ends of the Contact jaw members S when in closed position. The covers are releasil'ily retained in closed position by reason o't the engagement ot the switch blade members 'l5 with the yielding contact jaw members ll. The exterior side ot' each cover provided with a loop member l? tor the purpose o'l receiving` a hook sticlt" by means of which the covers may vbe moved to open position.

It will be seen trom the ltoregoing that in order to operate the disconnecting switches G, it is first nece. `ry to move the covers l2 to open position. The covers are mounted tor independent: movement and any one ot' them or all of them may be opened or closed without interfering with another.

ln electrical systems wherein a plurality ot motors are operated, it is treipu-rntly the practice to control the main circuit supplying current to the motors with a main or line switch. It is an object ot this invention to so interlock the main switch with the switches controlling the actuating` mechanism ot the unit switches controlling-the motor circuits5 that the latter cannot be opened so long as the main disconnecting switch is in closed position. With this end in view. the main line disconnecting switch is provided with means whereby opening movement ot the covers l2 is prevented so longas the switch is in closed position.

The main line switch includes a pair ot" switch blade members 1S that are pivoted upon jaw members lill and which are adapted to be moved into engagement with a pair ot contact jaw members 2l that are mounted upon a block 22 that is secured to the base member et. rThe pivot jaw members are mounted upon. a block 23 that is similar in every respect. to the block QQ.

The switch blade members i8 are connected by an insulating bar Qt to which is attached an insulating rod 25. The rod iti extends over the covers l2 that are disposed on opposite sides ot the main switch. lVhen the main switch is in closed posiVA tion. the rod engages the outer 'taces ot the covers 'l2 and prevents opening movement thereof- The main switch is provided with an eye bolt 26 for the purpose ot rcceiving the hoolr member of a hook sticlr" by means ot' which the main operating switch is actuated. lt will be apparent trom the toregoing that the cover members l2 carrying the controlling switch blade Yl5 cannot be moved to open position so long as the main switch is in closed position. Y

lly the arrangement of interloelfs above described. it will be apparent that the motor circuit disconnecting switches are twice guarded. first by the main switch interlocl; and second by the control switch interlock.

The construction is extremely simple and inexpensive and the switch mechanism may be applied to a variety of applications wherein it is desirable to insure that the switch mechanism shall be discoimected Ytrom a source ot voltagel'ictore the manually operated switch mechanism is made accessible. The invention is7 therefore. not limited to the specific application referred to in connection with the description oi the apparatus.

lvhile we have described and illustratiall but one embodiment ol our invention. it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, moditic-ations` substitutions, additionsl and omissions may be made in the apparatus illustrated without departingl troni the spirit and scope o'l the invention. as set forth in thc appemlcil claims.

'e claim as our invention:

l. Switch mechanism comprising an insulating panel. a switch member mounted on the panel, a pair ot contactl members, an insulating' cover pivoted upon the panel and movable independently ot" the switch memher Vtor protecting the switch member. and a switch member carried by the cover tor connecting the pair of contact memljiers.

2. Switch mechanism comprising.:r an inv sul-ating panel. a switch member mounted on the panel, an insulating cover pivotcd u 'on the panel tor protectingr the switch mec 1anism, contact `iaw n'iembers mounted on the base and a switch member carried by the cover for connecting the contact members and having trictional engagement therewith whereby the cover yieldingly retained in operative relation with the switch member.

2l. Switch mechanism comprising a plurality ot' switch members, a separately movable cover Vlor each switch member movable independently ot the switch member, ay main switch and means carried thereby torpreventing opening movement ot' the covers so long as the main switch is in closed position and a separate switch connected to and operable by each door for controlling thev circuit through the first said switch member.

ile. Switch mechanism conrprising a disconnecting switch, a cover for the disconnecting switch movable indepemlently thereof tor preventingY opening movement ot the discomiecting switch so long as the cover is in closed position, and a switch for controlling current through the disconnectingr switch carried by the said cover and movable therewith .into open and into closed positions.

5. Switch mechanism comprising a baso member, a disconnecting switch mounted on the base member. a cover for the disconnecting switch movable independently thereof ilor preventing opening movement ot' the discbnnecting switch while the cover is in closed position, a pair of switch contact members mounted on the base and a `bridging switch member' carried by and movable with the cover for connecting the said switch contact members when the cover is in closed position and adapted to be disengaged from the contact members when the cover is in open position.

6. Switch mechanism comprising a base member, a disconnecting switch mounted on the base member, a cover .for the disconnecting switch movable independently thereof for preventing opening movement of the disconnecting switch while the cover is in closed, position, a pair of switch contact members mounted on the base and a bridging switch member carried by and movable with the cover for connecting the said switch contact members when the cover is in closed position and adapted to be disengaged from the contact members when the cover is in open position, the said bridging switch being adapted to control the current through the disconnecting switch.

7. `Switch mechanism comprising a base member, a disconnecting switch mounted on the base member, a cover for the disconnecting switch movable independently thereof for preventing opening movement of the disconnecting switch While the cover is in closed position, a pair of switch contact Amembers mounted on the base, a bridging switch member carried by and movable with `have hereunto subscribed my name this 19th day of January, 1921.

PAUL L. MARDIS. 

